Asia’s rising demand for disability devices wanting

31/08/2022 0 Comments read Disability, Health & Science

A prosthetist making a cast for a lower limb prosthesis during a Cooperative Orthotic Prosthetic Enterprise (COPE) outreach camp in Kham District of Xieng Khouang Province in Lao PDR. Photo Credit ©COPE

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 31.08.2022 (SciDev.Net): Limited access to assistive technologies such as eyeglasses, hearing aids, mobility and communication devices, affordability and a lack of trained workforce remain significant challenges in meeting the needs of people with disabilities and the elderly in the Asia Pacific region.

According to a 2022 UN report, access to assistive technologies in some low-and middle-income countries is as low as three per cent. Assistive technology is an umbrella term for devices and related services that help users live with greater independence by improving their functioning in daily activities.

Globally, the market for assistive technologies for the disabled and elderly is expected to reach US$60.84 billion by 2028, says a recent study. It is expected to rise fastest in the Asia Pacific region because of the large population base and rising awareness about better healthcare. Continue reading →

Include assistive aids in universal health care: UN report

18/05/2022 0 Comments read Disability, Health & Science

Almah Kuambu and a prospective assistive technology user during a National Orthotic and Prosthetic Services outreach programme in Popondetta in southern Papua New Guinea. Copyright: National Orthotic and Prosthetic Services (PNG).

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 17.05.2022 (SciDev.Net): Almost one billion children and adults with disabilities, and older people, are unable to access the assistive technology they need, according to a UN report, which calls for more investment in these life-changing products.

Access to assistive technologies such as glasses, hearing aids, mobility or communication devices is as low as three per cent in some low-and middle-income countries, according to the report by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), launched on 16 May.

It says more than 3.5 billion people will need one or more assistive products by 2050 due to population ageing and the increase in incidence of non-communicable diseases. At present, the figure is 2.5 billion.

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“Aboriginal people need to know that the person making life-changing decisions is listening”

10/01/2022 0 Comments read Disability, Health & Science, Indigenous, NDIS

Wayne Wright. Photo Credit: Supplied WW

By Neena Bhandari

Sydney, 10.01.2022 (Hireup): Aboriginal people, especially those living in regional towns, face additional barriers in accessing disability supports and services that suit their needs. Wayne Wright, of Kamilaroi and Wiradjuri descent, shares his experience of living in Orange (NSW) with mitochondrial autosomal dominant optic atrophy (DOA), an inherited optic neuropathy, that has rendered him legally blind and also impacted his hearing and nervous system.

The disease, which he inherited from the maternal side of his family, began to have an impact on his daily life around the age of 16. Determined, he pursued his father’s occupation and drove heavy machinery in the Top End for nearly two decades until his condition began to worsen.

“At 39, my driving license was revoked. I was compelled to choose a different career so I enrolled in a community service course at TAFE. It has opened a rewarding career pathway, but because I only have 20/13 vision and can’t hear properly, I cop a lot of abuse in the community on a daily basis. This has been emotionally draining and detrimental to my mental health”, says Wright.

Continue reading →